Often times I'm asked what it is I do. I usually answer with a short response like "I sit behind a computer most of the day and send emails" or "I help build Web sites and apps". You see, describing what a product manager does to someone not in technology isn't easy. You want to tell them in intricate detail what it is you do but you don't want to bore them or tell them something that will just go right over their heads, like "I write product specifications for RESTful APIs".

Recently, a VP of Engineering where I work reached out to me to help understand what I did, so that they could better identify a candidate for an API/SOA product role that they were looking to fill. The questions were:

What are the responsibilities of this product manager?

How do you define what is done by product and what is done by an engineer?

What type of documentation is produced by this product manager?

Here is my response, which describes in intricate details what an API product manager is responsible for.

An API PM is a fairly specialized product role. My experience in job searches is that there simply are not a lot of these types of roles out there. Hence, there is probably also not a lot of product candidates with explicit API experience.

It seems most organizations see APIs as a feature or bi-product of a larger feature. Organizations that take the distribution of their data and services seriously realize that making APIs a product and applying product management disciplines is key to success. So don’t despair if the field is small or the perfect candidate doesn’t surface.

That said, here is a quick summary of my role as the Product Manager responsible for APIs. Maybe finding candidates with this skill set and experience, plus the necessary technical understanding, will work.

Product Manager Responsibilities

Subject matter expert and product expert for API or other products that are managed

Deep understanding of client needs and market trends, through client interaction and other market research

Owning and creating the product strategy and roadmap

Reviewing the roadmap with key stakeholders

Determining product priorities, including new features and bug fixes

Owning and creating the business/product requirements documentation

Managing feature iteration throughout the product lifecycle

Management of client API integrations and pipeline

Ownership of API documentation (ie – developer’s site)

API Engineer Deliverables

The product manager defines the “what”, while the engineer defines the “how”

API architecture

Development of API features and functionality

Documentation of how specific methods work

Description of how to test specific methods (for QA – if applicable)

API PM Deliverables (using developing a new Web service for an existing system as an example)